Season 13
It has been a months since The Federal army and The New Republic joined forces to fight Hargrove and his army. Vulcan was in the mess hall when Rogers and his team came in. "Hey babe, what'cha ya got."
"For you pancakes and for everyone else waffles."
"Alright. Going to go practice some more then I'll eat when I get back." Rogers then kissed her and left, he went to hit the gym. After a couple dozen pushup and sit ups he went towards the armory. "Hey Simmons I need old iron sights, a standard pistol and a hundred dummy rounds."
"On it." Simmons said going out back. "I still don't know why you use dummy rounds." Simmons said handing the guns and bullets to Rogers.
"Simple. Without a steady flow of supplies we need to use what we can for when we need it. IE real bullets for real battles. Besides dummy rounds can be used several times before breaking down."
"Hey Rogers I got your order of fire-red paint ready." Donut said putting down a large a box
"Please tell me it's not spray paint." Rogers sighed.
"Wel-"l
"Come on! You're in charge of uniforms."
"I can not betray the trust of the common man so you can look nice. Good day sir." Rogers just rolled his eyes as he went to the training room. When he got there he found Smith, and everyone running laps, it was more than likely because Grif's laziness. Wash had this stupid system where if you didn't do something right the whole group would get punished. Rogers began to aim with his rifle.
"Your aim has gotten better." Wash said walking up to Rogers.
"Thanks Wash. I got to tell you something. You know whenever Grif does something bad you make them run laps."
"Yeah?"
"They're either A going to kill Grif, B have incredible Legs or C kill Grif with their incredible legs." Wash was quiet for a sec.
"Nah. That's ah not going to happen." Wash said with an uneasy laugh. Rogers shrugged as went back to training but he felt bad how Grif got the group in trouble so he stopped them.
"Hey guys as your commanding officer or shit, I command you to eat waffles at the mess hall."
"Woo!" Palomo yelled. Rogers quickly returned his weapons and had breakfast. Vulcan sat down and ate her meal with her husband.
"So hows being a drill Sergeant?" Rogers asked.
"Fun, I get to blow a whistle and throw dodge balls at people's faces." Vulcan laughed.
"Yeah and my face still hurts." Palomo complained. Vulcan gave him a glare and threw a dodgeball at his face.
"Why do you have those with you!?" Palomo asked.
"Because I can do that. Duh" Vulcan laughed. Grey came in squealing with excitement.
"Good news Sarge has ordered you to help me set up some equipment."
"Same deal?" Rogers said raising his eyebrow.
"Well there might be some pirates in the area but sure same deal." Rogers got up and went to the garage where he met up with Grif and Simmons. Simmons threw him a battle rifle and a clip.
"So what's the deal this time?" Grif asked.
"Set up equipment and make sure no pirates destroy it. I'm set I got my armor piercers and battle rifle. You guys ready."
"Meh." Grif said. Grif threw a teleporter grenade at a massive crate of equipment, then another one down. In a flash of light Rogers, Grif and Simmons were at the newly taken base. Rogers got stretched his leg.
"You're late!" Sarge yelled.
"Hey, we just had to make sure Donut and Lopez could handle things while we're gone." Simmons said.
"How hard could your jobs be?" Tucker asked. Grif and Simmons gave each other a looked of worry. "Harder than you think."
"So you got the goods?" Grif asked. Sarge stepped aside and unveiled a stash of high end weapons and armor.
"We got everything from ammo to weapons." Grif threw a teleporter and the stash got sucked up. Suddenly Grey came over the intercom.
"I made a discovery!" Grey screeched.
"Didn't she like just get here?"
"Ma'am give-"
"Hold on." It sounded like Grey was fighting with a man.
"Ow you pushed me."
"I will give you a robot arm!" There was some more sounds of crashing and screaming. "Now all freelancer people get over here." The intercom went silent, Rogers got over there the as fast as he could. When he got there a man was screaming and running out of the base. "Now say what you want about our enemies."
"They're panisys."
"They suck."
"They're dirt bags."
"But you can discount their ambition, this compound isn't one of Charon's typical munitions factory or radio jammers. There not disassembling alien tech but rather trying to turn back on. That's why that tower is their primary target."
"So what does it do?" Simmons asked raising his hands.
"That's what I intend to find out, now who what's to go on a field trip?"
"I'm game." Rogers said stepping forward.
"Excellent, what about you Simmons? You seemed intelligent, at least compared to your friends."
"Why did you add that part?"
"This is blue team problems." Grif said walking away.
"Epsilon and I will stay behind in case Charon decide to launch an attack."
"Don't worry little you got me and aqua also. Now those diabolical pirates won't get the drop on us."
"No you'll most just be carrying my equipment but I could use an extra person, do you know of anyone you can spare?"
"We can use Caboose." Church said.
"Please no." Tucker begged.
"Too late." Church said evilly. The group dispersed but Rogers went up to Grey. I got your equipment in a teleporter grenade."
"Alright, just want to check which crate did you teleport?"
"Crate A."
"Good, now tell the rest of the Reds and Blues to meet me at the landing strip." Grey said wandering off. Rogers went outside and found Sarge and Tucker.
"Hey meet us at the landing strip." Rogers yelled.
"Got it." Sarge yelled back. Rogers quickly ran to the landing strip. When he got there Grey was on a hornet. Rogers got on and after a couple of minutes Sarge, Caboose and Tucker got onto the second one. The pilot took of and flew over the sea. Rogers looked down and could see power lines and lots of fish. Once they got near the tower the hornet landed a hundred feet away from a base. The guys quietly went up towards the rocks and watched it silently.
"Looks like no one is home." Rogers said.
"It's possible any remain Charon personal would have evacuated after you took the research complex." Grey suggested. It is possible, scientist are expensive and very useless when if captured. It was also possible that this is a trap. Rogers kept looking for anything, a shimmer of a reflection from the glass of the scope. But nothing, he was ready to go down but Caboose got on top of a rock and began to yell.
"IS ANYONE THERE?" Caboose yelled.
"Caboose!" everyone said in unison. Grey just shook her head.
"Caboose have freckles run a thermal scan." Rogers kept looking out and still found nothing. He wasn't fully surprised when Freckles reported in and said nothing was there.
"Did you give it control over the safety?" Sarge asked.
"Affirmative." Rogers looked back and saw the guys a little nervous.
"Don't worry my test determined that it was safe to give Freckles control over the rifle rather than Caboose."
"How'd you test that?" Tucker asked.
"I give Caboose the rifle for five seconds, it was a busy day at the hospital."
"I got to know, what happens if say Caboose like right now is pointing a gun at you and pulls the trigger."
"Is released confetti and makes a party sound." The next thing Rogers knew he was covered in confetti.
"Tucker did it." Rogers shook his head as he climbed down and activated the grenade. In a flash of light there was a large wooden crate. Rogers opened while Tucker explored the base. Caboose began to move the equipment piece by piece and Rogers and Sarge then helped Grey put things together. After a few hours the group was nearly done, Grey was doing a recording.
"So who here speaks alien?"
"Nope."
"Church taught me a swear."
"No hables." Rogers said.
"I know windings."
"You mean the font?"
"It is very misunderstood."
"I'll take that as a no. So just make no pirates sneak up on me, K?"
"Yes ma'am." Rogers said wandering off.
Meanwhile Vulcan was in the armory on brake and waiting for Grif and Simmons. Grif and Simmons soon popped up, "Hey guys, Wash asked me to help sort weapons and stuff."
"Well sorry chumps I got a bottle of cheese wiz with my name on it." Grif said throwing another teleporter grenade. A stockpile of weapons and ammo showed up, Grif left and Vulcan got right to work. After a minute she heard Grif yelling. she ran out and saw a bunch of recruits dragging Grif towards the gym. Wash came by and watched in horror.
"Huh I guess Rogers was right." Wash said in shock.
"Help me!" Grif yelled as he clawed at the ground. Vulcan slowly backed away as Grif was going to face his mortal enemy...exercise. When she got back she helped sort the ammunition but couldn't help notice Donut playing with a gun. She went over and saw it was a old plasma rifle.
"Hey Donut!"
"What?"
"Freeze." Vulcan said picking up a plasma pistol.
"Never. phew phew." Vulcan took cover and 'fired back'.
"Those are not toys. Wait are those the plasma stuff?" Simmons asked.
"So can we play with it."
"Ok go nuts."
"Yay!" Vulcan and Donut said.
"Phew." Donut and Vulcan continued play for a couple of more minutes until he wander off. She decided to play around alittle more but the gun she was playing turned on and fired plasma bolts, she threw it on the ground and ran into the armory to find Donut and Simmons screaming. The laser guns were going off randomly while the old alien tech was going off. She then joined in the screaming. "Ahhh what is going on!" Then it quickly turned off. Vulcan was in shock, she didn't even notice Lopez walk in.
Meanwhile Rogers was doing donuts with one of the abandoned warthogs until suddenly the temple lit up. Rogers rushed towards it with Sarge and Caboose. When they got there, he saw a stockpile of weapons and vehicles. He was too amazed to even listen, but when the ground shook and a voice boomed Rogers began to listen. The lounge it was speaking he didn't understand. "What's up." said Tucker. Suddenly all of the guns and cars vanished. Sarge tackled Tucker and began to hit and belittle him for his choice of words.
"Tucker do you have any idea what you just did?"
"Um, no." he said rubbing his head.
"You just activated technology that's been dormant for thousands of years." A map popped up and Tucker went towards it. "And I believe it wants you to follow it."
"Vulcan isn't going to believe this one." Rogers said taking a picture of the map.
"I know." Grey said giving Rogers a back breaking hug. "I, we just made the discovery of the century no the millennium. I just called the hornet to pick us up and told Church to get a call ready." For the next ten minutes Grey was jumping up and down, when the hornet came to pick them up the pilot told her to settle as they got back to the base.
"Hey Grey, I just se-" she didn't even let Church finish.
"I JUST MADE THE DISCOVERY OF THE CENTURY, NO THE MILLENNIUM!" Grey yelled at the top of her lungs.
"Hey guys." Tucker said waving.
"Alright calm down, Emily. Just slow downso we can understand you." Doyle said calmly.
"Slow down?! General, the alien weapons, vehicles all of the artifacts. They weren't broken they were just deactivated. And Tucker's sword made em work."
"The only things his 'swords' good for eh?" Vulcan joked.
"Yeah don't quit day job." Caboose said
"Still how is that possible?" Kimball asked.
"Long story short, it's like a sword and a key."
What does even mean?" Kimball said.
"Now you got him started." Vulcan sighed.
"Well it all started when I was chosen to to be someone great for a prophecy because I took the sword key and a alien took me on a quest to get a ship and but it turned out away to get me knocked up." Everyone was silent for a minute.
"You've reproduced?" Doyle said in disbelief.
"Fuck yeah, Junior is awesome. Check him out with his fifth grade basketball team."
"Aw he's got so big. I remember when he was a tiny grub drain blood from Caboose." Everyone looked quietly at Vulcan. "I mean that he wasn't cute but- Forget it."
"Well, that's the last thing I thought I ever see."
"Alright focus, let's go over what we know."
"Well when they turned on the tower all the alien guns turned on." Vulcan said.
"Not to mention it made the teleportation grenades to explode and fried all of Charon's weapons and all most got me asshole." said Simmons.
"This might be good for us." Carolina said.
"How we just lost all of our fast travel and laser guns." Vulcan added.
"The alien weapons may have only been active for a few seconds but the hybrid tech is inoperable."
"So whatever pieces they used in their own guns likely short circuited the equipment when it tried to come back online."
"Which mean the pirates laser guns won't work!" Sarge said.
"Neither do we."
"But that doesn't matter."
"Speak for yourself that makes two badass alien weapons I've lost." Grif complained.
"Grif, shut it. Charon has had a huge tech advantage over us. If we haven't had the number to overwhelm them this war would be over real fast."
"But we still lose troops with every victory."
"Doyle I'll tell you what my Father told me when I joined the army. Battles you come out with scratches, wars you come with scars. You understand?"
"I understand."
"At least we got them out gunned also. Now they're only using standard UNSC equipment."
"I work with weapons all day and I want to remind you that the 'Standard' UNSC weaponry can still put a hole in your head."
"We still have yet to encounter Felix and Locus in some time."
"We'll deal with them when the time comes." Wash said stepping up. "Right Carolina?"
"Right." Vulcan knew Charon where scratching their heads at their guns but she had a feeling that if they don't act fast they'll be up and running in no time.
"Maybe we should aim higher. The tractor beams at Crash site Alpha are the only things keeping us from leaving Chorus."
"You can't be suggesting-"
"I am."
"I'm with Kimball on this." Vulcan said. "If we don't act fast Charon will have their laser guns again."
"Those towers are probably the most heavily defended places on the planet." Wash said.
"And if we take em, we can bring down any and all Charon ships they even try to get a glimpse of the planet."
"The mercs know this, my money's on that they're right there right now. Waiting for us to lead the charge."
"We need to kick when they're down." Kimball said.
"What about the map?" Tucker said. "After the big voice turned off the tower it showed us some coordinates."
"I got a picture of it right now." Rogers then uploaded the picture but withholding the coordinates, the Mercs hacked them before but they are more well prepared. "I don't know what it is, or what it does but it's important."
"It could be a stockpile of alien weapons." Sarge said.
"They have a point. Taking crash site Alpha is possible, but with heavy losses. Those coordinates could lead us to something important."
"Could?"
"One tower took out all of Charon's weapons another one could do anything else. It could turn the other tower back on, and we have alien lasers again."
"I could add another weapon to a spreadsheet!" Simmons screeched.
"Nerd." Tucker said.
"Come on, that isn't nerdy. Church you know what I'm talking about."
"That nerd does not speak on my be half."
"We don't have time to investigate, Charon could be working on a new batch or rifles."
"We could just fly right over, and check it out." Tucker said.
"Yeah quick and easy." Rogers said.
"We don't know if Locus and Felix have scouts monitoring us whenever possible, if we send a ship they'll notice and they'll follow."
"If those coordinates do lead to something we can't just ignore it. We need to send a small team out on foot."
"That will take time we don't have."
"What if Charon's there, and we just turned it on. We gotta found out what's there even if we check to make sure the mercs don't use it against us." Everyone sat and thought. Rogers and Vulcan knew that it would take resources that they can barely could spare but if these towers can give then a single gun it be better than letting Felix or Locus use it.
"Can we divide and conquer?" Doyle asked.
"Carolina could take a way team out to the coordinates and Kimball gets to lead the charge against Alpha."
"The Feds won't take orders from me."
"I've been training them and they come along way."
"And some rumors say there's a couple of Romeo and Juliet's." Vulcan said.
"See." Wash said
"Well you can count me and my boys in." Sarge said.
"You got it Sarge." Rogers was excited to be on the battlefield again, he hasn't seen a good fight for a month. Just tiny skirmishes.
"I'll join you guys." Vulcan said.
"Alright then we're set." The group of dispersed. Vulcan head to the armory to gather weapons and gear.
"Good luck with the upcoming battle. And Simmons I'll make sure you get the first plasma weapon." Simmons nodded happy, after she was done packing when went to the hangers. She wait for a hour for the pelican to drop of the gang, once it got there a bunch of rebel and Federal troopers unloaded. The last one's to get off where the blood gulch crew. She hugged Rogers.
"Hey babe." he said. "Are you excited about taking out Charon."
"Yeah."
"Be careful alright, now Sarge need me in the war room." Rogers then left. She looked and saw that the guys watched.
"Whoa, didn't see you there, any ways the warthogs are fully stocked and we're ready to go."
"Cool." Tucker said. The group went to the warthogs and began to drive off.
"So, what the statistic that we'll find anything good." Vulcan asked.
"45%, and another 72% we will find some kind of resistance." Vulcan smiled at this and they continued to drive, until they parked the cars behind some pine trees. She got out and stretched.
"Sweet, we're here?" Tucker said.
"Nah, just pit stop. We need to refuel the jeeps while we still have cover."
"I'll get the gas cans." Vulcan said.
"You told me those were lemonade cans." Caboose said all surprised. Vulcan had a puzzled look on her face. She doesn't remember any of the guys telling him that.
"When did we tell you that?" Vulcan asked.
"The first week we met." Vulcans confused expression turned in a sigh. Now she remember that, she and the guys were hazing Caboose. She never expected him to actually drink it, but that did explain why the gas kept disappearing and why that one time at Caboose's birthday his candles erupted in flames when he blew on them.
Flash back
"Too you." The group sung. Vulcan brought out the cake and sat it down in front of Caboose.
"Make a wish." Vulcan said. Caboose then blew and flames erupted. Everyone was speechless, even Carolina.
"Yay I'm a dragon." Vulcan looked at the still burning candles and blew them out, she looked happily at the sky but after a minute she was sorely disappointed.
"Awe I want a million dollars."
Now
Vulcan was filling up the jeep while Tucker did Church's after a quick minute she was done. "We're done." Tucker yelled.
"Nice."
"I gave it to em, bow chic-"
"Bow wow?" Vulcan had a confused look, she shook it off as she went into the jeep and continued to drive.
"So Grey, you ready if we get hurt." Vulcan smiled.
"Yes! And if you're lucky you can a robot arm." Grey said was kind of creeped out by that statement.
"No thanks, my Dad had one." Soon they packed up, as they drove she just kept looking at the scenery around her. The lush pine forest were turning slowly to jungle, ice to mud. She looked out as she saw red eyes watching her. They soon saw the tower, and a strange orange light shooting out of it and they saw stone statues of what she guess were holy men or warriors. They parked their car and went towards the jungle temple, there wasn't much but the orange pulsing light.
"Wow."
Meanwhile Rogers was with a convoy heading to Alpha. He got himself a motorcycle. He was up front and not making any stops. "I'm telling you Simmons that toxic vomit is way worse than flying North."
"I'm with Rogers here."
"Wash said we got to make a pit stop. Now what happens if the villains at the south pole." Sarge smirked. Rogers shook his head and stopped by the gas station, he parked his new toy on the side of the building and regrouped with Reds.
"Now rebuttal, aw man Wash is here." Wash then walked up.
"Any news from the away team."
"They found a alien temple shooting pure energy out into the sky."
"Cool." Rogers yawned. "I already got that on my 'alien' bingo card."
"You know I really think that is admirable that you're staying and fighting with the people of Chorus."
"Thanks." Rogers knew the danger but he was ready for it. He got the best sniper in the army watching his back.
"When I met you all I never thought you'd amount to anything, you really proved me wrong." That was sort of nice but Rogers kept nodding his head in agreement. "Sure you may not be the most conventual soldiers but no matter what you always find away to solve it." Truth suddenly hit Rogers.
"You bastard! You think we're going to die!" Rogers yelled.
"What? Nooo."
"Sarge gave the same speech when we thought the Blue's marked us for a missile barrages, when it was just laser pointer." Wash stood still. "That only works with T-rexes."
"You're the best soldier I ever knew."
"What the fuck is with that past tense bullshit!" Simmons said freaking out.
"I just want you to know I'm proud of you. Hey what unit are you in?"
"Front lines." Sarge said
"Ow."
"*Sob* We're going to die."
Back with Vulcan, she was listening to Grey deciphering the text on the walls. She got the jist of it, the strongest warrior can access the treasure inside or something. "Good thing I'm here."
"That's cute." Carolina laughed lightly and Vulcan shook her head.
"I'm the best candidate, Tucker and Carolina you're strong but I have the most famous military general for a father, who trained me night and day, and you two get distracted too easily."
"I do not." Tucker said.
"Look a topless women." Vulcan said pointing randomly into the jungle.
"Where, damn it."
"And Carolina you push yourself too hard."
"But I got the sword. I'm the chosen one."
"Tucker has a point, the sword might override the need to be greatest warrior."
"Well we're low on time so let him go."
"Fine." Vulcan and Carolina said angrily.
"Just be careful."
"You got nothing to worry about." Tucker then tried to go in but is sent him flying back.
"You alright Chosen one?" Vulcan said in a mocking tone as she helped him up. So what you see?"
"I saw Felix, but I don't think it was really him. He showed up then another one then another one, soon there was a million of them."
"You weren't strong enough." Grey said.
"I am." Carolina stepped up.
"So am I, bare with me. What if the greatest warrior is more than one person." Vulcan said.
"Well I've studied some puzzles in similar ruins that need two people so I say go for it." Church shrugged. They didn't need him to tell them what's at stake. Carolina and Vulcan walked towards the pillar. She closed her eyes and stepped in. Once she opened them she saw a child, she kneeled down. She saw it was her, a young girl no older than ten.
"Who are you?" A menacing voice asked.
"I am Emma Vulcan." There was no answer. Vulcan then looked at the child again. She had raven hair, fair skin and her eyes. Her eyes of Vulcan mother, blue as ice. The child stared back.
"Emma, get over here. I need you to run laps."
"Yes papa." The young girl said, Vulcan watched the young girl run as a older man watched. He had short black hair and a robotic arm. She watched as the girl grows and joins the blue army. She looked back at her father who had a disappointed looked. He shook his head and whispered.
"What a disappointment." he said under his breath. She looked and saw her long line of military heritage. Generals,captains and admirals. Then she saw Rogers die, and all of her friends fell down screaming in pain. It was too much for her to handle, she began cry and was back in the jungle. She didn't care if anyone saw her cry at this moment.
"I'm sorry papa. I'm sorry papa." She cried in her arms. She went into the fetal position and rocked back and forth crying. She got up and sniffed and quickly ran away but Grey and Church followed her. "What do you want!" she yelled.
"I just need to know what you saw." Grey said in a motherly tone.
"I saw that I am a disgrace to my family." Church and Grey looked sorry for her.
"You're not a disgrace." he said. "We're going to see if Caboose can pass the test. I would like it if you would come." Vulcan sat down for a second before getting up and watched as Church lured Caboose to enter the vortex and just as fast Caboose coming out humming a happy tone. Church asked him what he saw but he spoke too fast to even catch a word, suddenly a hologram of an alien popped up. Vulcan was startled, but she stood her ground.
"My apologies but is there anyone else I could speak to?" asked the hologram. "Perhaps someone with a broader vocabulary." Vulcan was in awe, she never thought in a million years she see a alien AI. He spoke and said he was basically a remnant and was to guard the 'gifts' that hs race created.
"That is why I called him...Santa."
"Really?" Vulcan said all confused.
"It is an honor to meet you...noble warriors." Vulcan was impressed, but she knew Church and Grey would have a lot of questions so she left them be. She wander around the perimeter to check for any sign of the mercs. She didn't find anything conclusive footprints but they could be easily Caboose's. She shook it off and returned back to the hub. Santa was still talking but it seemed that the group was ready to go. "The legacy of my people are scattered throughout the galaxy. Their history, technology all left behind for future species to discover. This relic the one you claimed as Chorus. Was one of great importance, it is here they kept some of their most valued treasures."
"What kind of treasures?" Vulcan asked greedily.
"My creators gave many gifts, you'll find each locked away in a temple. Lavernius Tucker you've activated the temple of arms. With its power you reactivated combat vehicle, weapons and many more technological marvels. But these are merely a fraction of the gifs left behind." Vulcan ponder at what else there was, more than likely a temple of medicine or one of art, it was an interesting thought to say the least. She listen and learn that the tractor beam was really a defensive measure and that the pirates hacked it.
"Why test us if Tucker has the sword?" Grey asked.
"Because my records state that the great key of this planet, has yet to be claimed."
"So there's another key?" Vulcan said. The hologram looked at her.
"It lies in a mountain temple to the east, after the security failure I had to be sure that the presence of two keys was not an error in my programing, but it's now clear it wasn't, but although your key comes from another world it was clear my people created it. It is therefore acceptable." Vulcan was happy to hear this, she thought they had to get the right key.
"So you said that was just the fraction of what was here?"
"Correct." Vulcan was now intrigued. She listen closely to what Santa had to say. "There is the temple of weather manipulation, bountiful harvest, interior decorating." Note to self find that one for Donut's birthday. "Procuration, communication." Everyone straighten up when he said communication. To no one's surprise Tucker was slightly more interested at the procuration. She started to walk away but Santa left with a warning. He talked about the purge, a kind of firewall that would kill every sentient thing on Chorus. Vulcan got an update on her map hud but something was off. Santa made a statement that did make sense. He said previous set maps. She then heard a twig snap. She spun around to see a group of mercs, she fired a shot hitting the man in the leg, but before she could even fire another shot a bubble shield was set up. It deflected all of the bullets sent by the mercs, she looked around and saw a couple dozen mercs and one stood out. He wasn't like the others, his armor had red stripes and he carried a shark face assault rifle. She was too scared to listen but a single thing caught her attention.
"You got no cover and a failing AI, so yeah."
"What does he mean by failing?" Vulcan said under her breath.
"Besides the rest of our friends are prepping at Alpha." Vulcan knew Rogers was going to be at that battle, it's going to be a slaughterhouse, and if she knew Sarge. He signed them up for the front. She was scared for Rogers, but she didn't let it get to her head. At least not right now.
Meanwhile Rogers was riding his motorcycle next to Sarge's warthog. He ran over a rocket trooper, he got off and stomped the trooper again. He stared lustfully at the rocket launcher, he picked it up and loaded it. Suddenly a dark shadowed casted over the battlefield, Rogers looked up and saw it was a ship. They were dropping off more soldiers, he fired at a big group of and killed em. But more and more were coming, he fell back and firing more rockets. He was falling back, a pirate jumped him, He bashed the pirate in the head and threw it at his face. Rogers took out his battle rifle and fired his gun, he regrouped with Sarge. "Hop on." Sarge said. Rogers grabbed hold of the passenger side and tried not to fall of every time they hit a bump.
"So what's the plan?" asked Rogers holding on with his left hand and firing his SMG with right.
"Regroup with Wash and try to fall back to Armonia."
"I like this plan." Rogers yelled.
Meanwhile Vulcan was hoping Carolina could hold the bubble shield until help could arrive. "Santa please help us." Vulcan begged.
"It is not my place to meddle with human affairs." Santa then faded away, Vulcan was afraid but was ready to go down fighting.
"Quick everyone into the portal."
"It will just spit up back out."
"Not- Caboose! I need you to hold onto Freckles as tight as you can." Grey said franticly. Vulcan was willing to give it a try, even if it just gave her an extra minute. "When I go in, drop the shield. Freckles...Command aimbot." Grey said jumping into the portal. In a flash of light Vulcan was blinded for a second but hear gun fired. Once her sight returned she checked herself for any bullet holes, she smiled when she found none, she looked up and saw around her and that the mercs were dead, she jumped up and in joy but quickly stopped. Grey came back and was relieve that the plan worked. Vulcan quickly thanked Grey.
"Aw, it was nothing." Vulcan nodded and checked the bodies for ammunition, she threw a couple of clips to the guys and loaded her gun.
Back at Alpha The Reds were in the ship holding off the pirates, "This ship still has a few pieces intact, if we can find one of its engines and we can get it online, we might have a chance to escape." Simmons said.
"Dude are we going to fly out of here?" Grif asked hopefully.
"What! No, assuming the engines are as fucked as I think they are I should be able to make us a smoke screen."
"I also think we should make the engines detonate." Rogers said firing his rifle away.
"That's a start." said Kimball. "Red team you and Wash take charge of this, just let me know when you are ready." Kimball then ran back into battle.
"So where is the engine?"
"I know where it is." Smith said walking up.
"And I know how to work it." Jensen said.
"Well let's go." Wash said, Palomo stepped in front of Wash.
"I don't want to be 'that guy' but that area is getting hit hard. Snipers fire seem to be coming out of nowhere." Wash looked worried about what Palmo had just said.
"You leave that to me."
Back with Vulcan, she had got off the pelican. Carolina tried to contact the general. "Damn it! We need to find him."
"We can split up, cover more ground." Tucker suggested.
"Alright, let's try not to make it too easy for the bad guys." Church said.
"Church!" Carolina said cocking her gun. Vulcan looked up to see it was the soldier back from the jungle temple.
"Shark face!" Caboose yelled.
"I guess I underestimated you."
"We get that alot." Carolina opened fired but he deflected it with a light shield.
"It looks like we're looking for the same man, bet you I find him first." Shark face then ran off and Carolina followed.
"Hostile detected." Freckles stated.
"Son of a bitch!" Vulcan yelled as she ran into a ice cave. The group caught up and out of breath.
"You think we lost em?" Tucker asked.
"Woo." wailed an eerie voice, it sound familiar but she couldn't put her finger on it.
"Friendly heat signature detected."
"Maybe it's a hobo."
"Thank god!" Vulcan jumped and saw it was only Doc. She knew he was missing but she had always a sumed he ran into the jungle. "Tucker, Caboose, Vulcan and lady I don't know. It's so good to see you! It was horrible, Grif threw that future cube and then I was teleported away to a far off place. Another dimension where time and space refuted all logic as we know it. A place where I drifted for what felt like an eternity and after a while I lost my mind and found it then lost it again. But it was the thought of you all that kept me going and look! You found me." Vulcan felt a little bad now, she had sent one search party for Doc and she assumed he was happy hermit.
"Hey Sarge do you remember teleporting Doc?" Tucker asked.
"Doc, na he's been with us, I think."
"We found him in a cave, says he was in another dimension." Doc started to shake angrily, she stepped back as he laughed evilly and his voice turned into O'Malley. She stepped out of the way as Doc tackled Tucker and beat him up.
"Should we do something."
"No, he'll tire himself out." Vulcan said stopping Grey from acting. Vulcan watched as Doc screamed in O'Malley voice and punched Tucker repeatedly of a few minutes.
Back with Rogers, he was covering Simmons while he was working on the engine. After a couple of minutes Simmons was ready. "You think this will work?" Kimball asked.
"Oh god no."
"Hey what happens if you're and this doesn't work?" Grif asked.
"We blow up."
"Atleast we take a lot of bad people down with us." Rogers said.
"Well here goes nothing." Simmons said pulling a switch. Rogers held his breath as the engines started to rumble.
"Get to the cars." Kimball yelled. Rogers took off, he found his new motorcycle and as soon as the ash and smoke shot out of the engine he took off next Sarge. As he picked up speed he flew in the air, he rammed into a group of pirates. As soon as he hit the ground he took off, driving like a maniac dodging bullets and rockets. He raced out of Alpha and after they were a long while away he stopped to check on his men
Back with Vulcan."So will you tell me what's going on." Grey asked. Vulcan pointed at Doc.
"That's Doc, he was a pacifist and a medic but I guess but since he'd be alone he's gone insane. Also he has tried to destroy and conquer the universe."
"You have to be one of the most fascinating group of individuals I have seen."
"Help me!" Yelled Tucker. Grey went up and punched Doc in the head, Tucker got up and brushed himself off. "You couldn't have done that any sooner?"
"Hush, you got a doctor to patch you up later."
"Really! I was being face punched for ten minutes, Doyle is still missing and Carolina and Church are gone. So if we don't find Doyle and the stupid sword in the next five minutes I'm going to do the opposite of hush."
"Well maybe those guys have seen the sword." Caboose said pointing at two pirates. Vulcan sighed as she readied her rifle. She was sorely disappointed and Glad at the same time when someone stole her kill. She looked and saw it was Lopez and Donut.
"Alright, You guys go find Doyle, while I make sure your medic friend is ok." Vulcan shrugged.
"Alright, your problem." Vulcan then ran off into the snow, she wander around a few minutes. "Freckles you see anything?"
"Negative." They continued to look around until they heard whimpering. They began to run towards to find Doyle.
"He has the sword." Doyle yelled, Vulcan looked over and saw Felix standing over a cliff, Vulcan fired away with gun but like usually he activated his light shield.
"Well look who it is. Lavernius Tucker and his less important but equally annoying friends."
"Hey Felix, how's the hand?" Vulcan said her voice venomous.
"Still stings but docs fixed it up."
"Hand over the sword Felix." Felix looked at it and put it in his back pocket.
"No thanks I'll keep it."
"You're surrounded, nowhere to go."
"Then come and get me." Everyone stood their ground, waiting for Felix to make the first move. "Ha not so tough without your Freelancers, are ya."
"I can still kick your ass." Vulcan growled. Felix was amused by this he laugh and even present the sword too mock.
"At least we outsmarted you." Tucker said.
"And not many people have done that, and no one has got the best of me and lives to tell about it." soon a helicopter pulled up from the cliff. It aimed it gun and fired away, Vulcan scatter behind a rock and blind fired away but with no anvil. She got up and watched as the helicopter flew away, she shot at it some more out of anger, but she left her hiding spot and went back to Tucker, they then set out to find Carolina.
Back at Armora Rogers was waiting for Vulcan's squad to come back, he wait for hours worrying about her. He watched as her pelican landed and everyone unloaded. First off was Tucker, he ran up to him and spoke. "Hey Tucker I heard about the mission and I want to say I sorry."
"There's still a chance we can win this." Tucker then walked away, he watched as they unloaded Doc in a straight jacket.
"Doc, you're alive I thought you died when the fighting started."
"I'm alive and well."
"But you i'm not so sure." Doc said turning to O'Malley. He went inside to see Grey tending to Carolina and Vulcan helping her.
"What happened?" Rogers said horror. He watch as Grey popped a bone back in place. Carolina groaned in pain.
"She had a nasty run in, we found her unconscious but Church told us what happened. She fell of a hundred foot cliff. She lucky she doesn't have too serious but I had to treat her on the ride here." Grey help Carolina up, and walked her over to her office. Vulcan looked at Rogers and hugged him.
"Sorry about your mission, heard a lot of good men died." she said with sorrow. Rogers stopped hugging her.
"A lot more are going to die if we don't get that key back."
"I need to talk to the reds and blues. Regroup in war room." Kimball said on the radio. Rogers and Vulcan walked towards the war room and as they saw the horrors of what Alpha caused, they saw many people weeping and wounded men and women. After what seemed like an eternity of death and sorrow Rogers and Vulcan made it into the war room. They found the Reds and Blues hanging their heads in shame. They waited in the war room, it was silent as the grave. Until Kimball and Doyle walked in, she was belittling him for his cowardice and he was trying to defend it. All that went through Vulcans mind was that he sentence an entire planet of people in a split seconds of cowardice.
"Thanks to you the mercenaries have the power to kill us all!"
"Only if I die first."
"Great! Now we have to waste valuable men to guard you 24/7."
"We'd have more men if you hadn't went along with you plan at Alpha."
"Don't you dare turn this on me."
"Enough." Wash yelled. "You two are acting like 's done is done, so let's quit focusing on what went wrong and start thinking of what we have now and what we can start doing."
"So how's Church and Carolina?" Simmons asked.
"Our dear friend Emily assured me that Carolina will make a full recovery as well as your purple friend."
"Epsilon situation is more problematic, he's doing fine right now but there's something he's not telling us. Complete armor failure doesn't just happen."
"We need to get to that ailen phone tower on the pronto." Sarge said.
"We can't go barging in like we did at Alpha."
"Ya we can't wait for Charon to attack."
"Why not, the city is heavily fortified and the city reactor rules out airly bombing, our alien artifacts are no good to Charon post explosion."
"Then they'll surround us and starve us out."
"Don't forget half of our forces are wounded and in no shape for a fight." Vulcan added.
"And what throw Tucker at them, and they'll kill em and them they'll have two keys." Doyle was right in a sense, Rogers thought. But Kimball had a point also.
"Well I know this you have to risk lives if you want to see results even if it means your own life. You should've throw it of the mountain and taken the bullet. This meeting is over." Kimball stormed off.
"She right though." Doyle said ashamed. He began walked away.
"Wait we need to come up with a plan."
"I'm a failure of a general, I don't think i'm fit enough for this post" As he walked away Sarge stepped up.
"Forget em, I say we start taking over. First act, red uniforms."
"They're not the problem isn't just with them, it's the Fed Rebels as a whole. They don't trust each other."
"It took us years to trust each other. And well some of us are still working on it." Rogers said looking at Sarge.
"They spent years killing each other, sure there a few squads that work exceptionally well together but as a whole they see this as a temporary ceasefire rather than a peace treaty."
"I know but if we don't bring them together soon we're not going to stand a chance."
"Alright I got an idea, we can try to help the Rebel and Feds like each other." Vulcan said raising her hand.
"*Sigh* Alright." Tucker said. "Palomo get over here and meets us at the motor pool." Tucker yelled over the radio. The group then then left and pulled a random Fed trooper from work. When Palmo got there Tucker quickly explained what to do.
"So let's start with a handshake." Vulcan watched as the experiment started.
"Devil man." Palomo spat.
"For the love of god." Vulcan said. The two began to fight and Vulcan smacked then.
"Stop that you fucks!" Vulcan said.
"He started it."
"Just go." Vulcan sighed. "I don't get it, we're in the middle of a civil war and they still hate each other."
"It's not tem it's the approached."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Vulcan asked all offended.
"It means you can't force people to like each other." Vulcan wasn't as mad, it made some sense. She didn't like the Reds at first but once she knew the Reds and Blues war was a lie she didn't hate them as much. But it was slow and took months to start any kind of friendship. "You gotta lie to then until they think they like each other."
"That sounds like a terrible idea." Vulcan yelled.
"He's right I used the same tactic on women." Vulcan took off her helmet and gave him a death glare. Tucker backed away, and she put back on her helmet.
"Alright here's how it goes. We tell Doyle, Kimball want's to apologize and meet him at dinner. Then we tell Kimball Doyle wants to apologize and invite her to the same restaurant."
"What is this a sitcom."
"Yes and that sitcom was know as Friends. And that is what we want them to be."
"That doesn't mean anything!"
"We need someone to act as a neutral force, someone who is neither red nor blue like purple." Vulcan thought there had to be someone who could do this. She watched as Doc ran by, he was one of the best people for the job, hell he's the only person who wasn't on a side. She sighed as ran began to run after him.
"Doc we need you!" Vulcan yelled. Rogers sighed as he followed her. "Grey I need him to help us."
"He need electric shock!"
"Got damn it Grey." Vulcan ran fast and tackled Grey.
"Come with us if you don't want your brain fried." Doc followed him to the war room.
"Nooo!" Grey yelled. After a minute Doc and Rogers were gone. "Can you please get off me."
"Oh ok." Vulcan got up and helped her up on her feet. "So ya, see yeah." They went their separate ways.
Meanwhile Rogers was talking to Doc. "So you send me to another dimension, forget me and you want my help?" Rogers stood there for a sec silent.
"Um, yes?"
"Finally I will be included."
"This is why no one respects you." said O'Malley. Rogers stepped away from the crazy man. Why are we even using him, Rogers thought as he watched O'Malley and Doc talking to each other.
"There you are. What the hell are all of you doing?"
"Trying to settle the difference between Feds and Rebels." Vulcan said.
"Then why are Kimball's men threatening to leave the capital and Doyle's force trying to keep them in."
"I said trying."
"Well if we don't act soon we'll have another civil war."
"Don't you worry, we've got everything under control." Sarge said.
"HOW?!"
"An honest to Earth counseling session."
"Now I've lost faith in this plan." Vulcan said.
"Well let's get it over with. Guys I want you to take Doc to the war room while I call Doyle and Kimball." Grif said.
"Alright." The group then left towards the war room, after twenty minutes the two leader where back. Doc step forward and clapped his hands.
"Alright let's start the first counseling session, now it's just you two and your closest friends as you can see."
"This is a waste of resources and especially time." Kimball said in a bitter tone.
"I conquer." We're all going to regret this, vulcan thought.
"Alright let's do some role playing, like this. Grif you be me and I'll you."
"Um. Hey I'm Doc."
"And I'm Dexter Grif. Reporting for duty. Never mind I remember i'm a worthless sack of excrement that wouldn't be caught dead following orders."
"Wow." Rogers said in disbelief. He watched as Grif began to cry. Rogers patted him on the back. As time went on they made little progress, and they seemed to go along with it so Doc would shut up. Doc even tried to do his magic on the Red's and Blue's to show that it would work.
"So we're going to do some speaking your feeling exercise, who would like to do that?" Caboose raised his hand.
"I would like to do with Tucker."
"Great, now Tucker you will listen to what Caboose has to say. Now Caboose tell what you don't like what Tucker does to to you. Then Tucker." Caboose just talked about how he didn't like it when Tucker said mean things and Tucker expressed how he was angry at Caboose. "Alright Kimball you try."
"I think-" Doc cut him off before he could get anything else in.
"Doyle Kimball had the speaking ball."
"Doc this isn't going to work." Kimball said in a calm voice.
"Not with that attitude."
"Attitude is not the problem, it is the complete breakdown of cooperation and trust."
"Well corporation is a two way street." Vulcan stepped back as the second war began, Kimball and Doyle yelled at each other.
"I was hoping that is wouldn't come to this."
"Yeah, but they hate each other. What do you expect, they're almost like Sarge and Grif just less volatile."
"Wait? Which one is less volatile."
"Never example." Carolina came in and Kimball stormed off again. Doc tried to stop her but she somehow Doyle said something that made everyone's jaws drop to the floor.
"You are the most courageous person I've ever met. I wish I had a tenth of courage you had and I'm afraid." Kimball began to talk civilized to each other but an explosion erupted from the outside.
"What's going on." Vulcan asked.
"It's explosions, god they started to attack." Rogers said. And sure enough he was right radio reports kept coming in on how the pirates were dropping out of the sky. Vulcan should of saw this coming, half of the army was wounded and the other half was demoralized, this would come at heavy cost for Charon then again less to pay.
"You said we're safe here!" Vulcan yelled.
"I never thought they be so bold, they take too many casualties."
"I guess they don't care how many people they lose, once they have the sword it won't matter."
"I guess we oughta make sure they lose all of their guys."
"Bring on the blood bath!" O'Malley yelled. Vulcan smiled as she switched off her safety.
"I kind of got a better idea, buuut you won't like it."
"Well spit it out Church." Rogers said.
"It's like Kimball said, the capital is a death trap. But no for us. Here's the plan we detonate the nuclear reactor, so now we need to call a citywide evacuation." Kimball and Doyle sat in silence for a minute.
"Ok." Kimball and Doyle said in and Kimball quickly called for the evaluation.
"So now we just need to get Doyle out of the city without being seen. So I want you guys to cover him through the back alleys and shadows to the armory, there should still be a pelican."
"You can count on us." Tucker said leading the way. The group then left, they quickly walked through alleys and the darkest parts of the city. Vulcan watched as groups of soldiers ran away grabbing what they can to take back. She watched as entire squads were mowed down, she wanted to help but she knew it would just compromise the mission. After a while of adoving the the enemy Vulcan saw the armory, and a group of mercs guarding the entrance.
"How are we supposed to get past that?" Grif asked.
"I got this." Donut said throwing a grenade over a building and exploding min air. It seemed like the grenade was thrown from the roof. The small group of mercs quickly stormed the building and The Reds and Blues took the opportunity and ran into the armory. Vulcan closed and locked the doors. Rogers went to the storage locker and loaded whatever equipment he could.
"Alright I got a crate of ammunition." He said putting the crate in the pelican.
"Hey the bad guys are trying to get in."
"Grif what the ETA on the pelican?" Sarge yelled.
"I won't start were- Shit." Rogers heard people coming into the building.
"Hide!" Rogers hid inside the pelican while Vulcan hid inside a locker. She watched as the mercs came inside,
"I'm telling you doors weren't lock the-"
"Enemy spotted." Shit Vulcan thought, we suck at hiding. Next thing she knew the mercs blew up, she got out of the locker and saw Doc loading another rocket.
"Remove the mechanical man this instance!" O'Malley yelled.
"Hostiles approaching." Rogers aimed his rifle and shot at the first mercenaries. But more and more kept coming, Vulcan on the other hand kept trying to pull Lopez out.
"[You're going to rip me in half. Again!]"
"Well sorry." She said pulling even harder. Simmons came over and and began to take Lopez apart. She got up and helped put Lopez back together.
"[Thank you.]" Lopez said, she then lead him to the pelican.
"Stay here while I prep the pelican." she said entering the cockpit. She ready all the buttons and waited for Grif. Once he was on board they started to take off, She counted and found everyone but Doyle was in the pelican.
"Where is Doyle?" asked Vulcan.
"He took off and said that if he left they just keep following us." Vulcan had to admire Doyle for staying behind. They kept going and Vulcan opened the bay doors as they approached the LZ. She took a sniper rifle and tied a rope to hold her down. She began to shoot at any pirates that were in site.
"That is badass." Tucker said. The Pelican slow landed and Vulcan took her seat.
"Come on!" Vulcan. Wash, Carolina and Kimball boarded. She didn't see Doyle with em but by then it was too late, the reactor began to melt down. Vulcan strapped in and soon someone hit the boost. "Are we safe?"
"No." Church said. "We need a miracle."
"We need to go faster!"
"[I'm trying]" Vulcan closed her eyes as she thought this would be her last trip but some else happened. She watched as Carolina get out of her seat and climb up a ladder, after a minute when Vulcan though she would be incinerated there was a silent humming."[Carolina she save us.]"
"How?"
"I used the bubble shield." Carolina said climbing back down.
"Way to go right Church? Church." Simmons said.
"He's not responding." Carolina said all worried. Lopez began to push the ships boost past its limits.
"Is he going to be alright?" Vulcan asked helping Carolina into a seat.
"I..I don't know." The group sat in silence. Carolina kept trying to reach Church but he wouldn't respond.
"So where are we going?" Vulcan said trying to lighten the mood.
"We're going back to the canyon." Kimball said with regret. Vulcan knew that Kimball was saddened by Doyle's death and so was everyone else. After a while the pelican landed and the group fractured and parted ways. Rogers and Vulcan assessed the damage. They may of taken out a very large chunk of Charon's forces but that was it. Most of the vehicles were damaged, anything that was slow and heavy was lost to the blast. They didn't' have any tanks or mortar just warthogs and mongooses. It was just too depressing so Vulcan and Rogers went to check up on Church.
"Is Church alright."
"I still don't know, can you do me a favor when Church. I mean if he comes back will you stay here so he has a familiar face."
"Ok." They waited of a hour and soon everyone join over time. Church kept flickering on and off until he was full back.
"North was a crazy son of a bitch." Rogers laughed happy once he heard him speak.
"He's back!" Vulcan yelled happily
"So you ok?" Tucker asked.
"Ya um where am I." Carolina picked him up and took him outside. Grey came in bloodied, and wasn't in her happish tone.
"Rogers can you come with me." Rogers followed her to a makeshift hospital. She took him to a bed where he found Ellis. Rogers gasped as he saw his friend in the bed. He sat up and smiled, he got out of bed and saw his right leg was replaced with metal. "He was helping a group of wounded escape but the pirates stormed the convoy and-"
"I lost my leg." He looked down at his new leg. He didn't seem too unhappy about it. "It isn't that bad." Rogers was still feeling bad about what happened, may he could of help him and he wouldn't have lost his leg. Vulcan came in and pulled Rogers to the side.
"Hey Rogers I just wanted to talk to ya."
"Yeah ok." he said.
"Alright here's the plan we going the communication temple and Carolina and Wash go take out the mercs at the purge temple." Rogers was up for one last attack. The two began to leave the hospital and saw a group of men running.
"Hey what's going on?" Rogers asked.
"Kimball is addressing the armies." The man said taking off again. Rogers and Vulcan followed them and saw Kimball speaking. Rogers and Vulcan sat quietly and watched. She was giving a moving speech, it was moving.
"And I ask myself what do you fight for."
"To see the next day." Rogers said under his breath. Once she finished all of the Feds and Rebel cheered. Vulcan fired a few shots in the air.
"Hey V, get your husband and yourself up here, we got a job to do." said Church. Vulcan smiled as she turned to Rogers and spoke in a confident voice.
"You ready to kick some ass?" Rogers just smirked at the question.
"Hell ya." THe two then ran towards the motor pool to see all of the Reds and Blues loading into the pelican. It then went in and Vulcan hit the boost, it quickly took off after she was seated she spoke aloud.
"That speech was amazing." Vulcan said all impressed.
"I think this might be enough to get the armies to stop fighting each other." Wash said. After a few minutes the Reds and Blue landed outside the temple. Vulcan and watched as Tucker went up towards the temple and with a slash of his key the temple activated. She watched as alien weapons and vehicles appeared, she stepped up and took a needler and fired it at a bird. It was a direct hit, she then loaded what she could carry into the pelican or drive. Everyone else did the same, kept looking at her new prize. Rogers took a plasma rocket launcher and soon they were back at Alpha. Church explained the plan to everyone and the Freelancers took off. Soon everything was in place. After an hour the whole Federal and Rebel army was at the temple with plasma guns at the ready. Kimball stepped forward and fired the first shot.
"Attack." she yelled. Vulcan smirked, Kimball had a lot of courage to be on the front lines, Vulcan thought as she fired the needlers into approaching enemy troopers. Rogers fired his plasma cannon at approaching tanks, Vulcan hop on Caboose's wraith firing at anything with heavy artiary. Suddenly a pirate jumped on and pushed her off, he put a knife to her throat but she pulled her tomahawk out and slashed him in the leg.
"Bitch!" he yelled pulling the tomahawk out of his leg.
"What can I say." She tackled him and shoved the knife into his visser.
Meanwhile Rogers was running low on plasma rods. He turned a corner and saw a huge group of pirates.
"Sinara be-och." Rogers said pulling the trigger but nothing came out. "Son Of A Bitch!" he yelled running away from a hellstorm of bullets. "Sarge help!" Rogers said jumping behind a large rock.
"You just got Sarged." he yelled firing away his shotgun. Rogers got up from his rock and waved to. He picked up another plasma pistol from a man who just landed at his feet.
"Wait what just-" he looked up to see a mantis. Rogers grabbed the pistol and ran inside. He found everyone, even Wash and Carolina. "So how are going to stop that!"
"You're not. You guys are going to take Epsilon inside and broadcast his message.
"But what about the Feds and Rebels?" Vulcan asked. "They'll be obliterated."
"Wash and I will take care of the Mantis."
"So you guys up for one more?" Church asked popping up. Vulcan crossed her arms in a manner that explained it all.
"Good." Tucker pulled his sword out and began to run, Vulcan cannon ball into the teleporter.
"God that hurts." Vulcan said getting back on her feet.
"Wimps." Church said.
"Don't need to be a dick." Rogers said. Vulcan walked around the temple and he suddenly popped up. Santa the alien AI began to speak to Tucker.
"Do you wish to transmit a message?"
"Darn tooten." Sarge said.
"I got all the data the UNSC needs to find us, and enough files to place Hargrove under arrest. So will it be heard?"
"It will be heard in the entire galaxy."
"Hey Church can you submit my 'personal message'." Vulcan said playing with her thumbs.
"Of course."
"Good. The process is brief but you will be occupied."
"With what?" Santa faded away but she listen and heard the faint sound of helicopter blades. She looked up and saw it was a helicopter and it was gaining speed. Towards them.
"Please tell me that's just a regular group of pirates." Vulcan got a better look and saw it was Locas and Felix. "Fuck."
"I thought you said they were dead!?" Simmons yelled.
"WE DROPPED A FUCKIN SPACE SHIP ONE THEM!"
"Scattered!" Vulcan dropped to the ground as the helicopter crashed. She got up and looked for anything, she walk slowly and turned around a corner and saw Felix coming. She held her breath as she ran to another corner and regrouped with Rogers.
"Rogers I'm scared." she said with fear.
"It's alright." He held her and spoke quietly. "I have faith we will beat him." Vulcan wiped away the tears but she was still scared
"Come out Tucker. You think you're better than me. Well you're not. You're just a bunch of losers!" Vulcan looked around the corner and watch as Tucker stepped of the shadows. She watched as Caboose got into position and as Tucker rushed at him with swords drawn. Vulcan and Rogers rushed out of the shadows and met him. She stabbed him in the arm with her knife. He pushed her off and Rogers punched him in the face. Felix's visser cracked but he got up to slash at him but Simmons fired a needler shot into his arm.
"Thanks for that!" He then ran away and Doc blew he across the temple, Vulcan ran away and saw Felix push Caboose to the ground and take his rifle. He aimed and pulled the trigger, and confetti came out.
"Surprise bitch!"
"We may be loser but we still kicked your ass." Church said. Soon everyone came weapons drawn rushing towards Felix. They slowly walked towards him but he got up laughing.
"You think we got me beat? Think again." A gun was thrown in front of Felix. Rogers spun around and saw Locus decloak. "Locus what the hell?! You were suppose to kill em."
"No." Rogers was was shocked, and so was everyone else. "No more killing." Felix was shocked. He began to freaked out, he threw the sword and picked up the gun. He fired it at them, Vulcan tried to fire her gun at him but his light shield just deflected the bullets. Rogers pulled out a detonator and fired it. It stuck, to his light sheldied.
"We did learn a thing or two from ya." Rogers said in an ultra smug. Just for insurance Vulcan handed a grenade to Tucker.
"Hey Felix catch." Tucker threw the grenade at his feet. Both explosives detonated and he was throw off the building. He screamed as he fell, Hell of a way to go, she thought. She stepped away and watched as Locus activated the temple. And watch him leave, but no before he spoke six words.
"I'm going to make things right." He cloaked and left. Church entered the machine, Rogers listen to the message.
Meanwhile on Earth
A elderly man sat on his couch listening to Church's speech. "My baby girl is alright and finally that bastard is going to jail." He began to rejoice and then a sweet voice came on the air.
"Hey dad, I got a special message for ya. I just want to let you know I'm alright and safe. I'm married and the man in Fire-red armor is my husband. I'm making you proud, and when this war is over I'll be coming home." The older man had tears in his eyes.
"I wish I never made that deal with the Director."
Now on Chorus
The group watched as a ship came out of slipspace. "You made a big mistake." said a loud booming voice.
"Oh shit." The group said in unison.
"They're dropping mantis!" Someone yelled over the radio.
"We got to shut them down." Church said in a frantic tone.
"How are we going to do that?"
"We over ride their controls...on the ship." Vulcan looked at the down helicopter. She shrugged as she hop in, everyone piled in as if it was a clown car. After a minute the group were inside the loading bay. She got out and found it was empty. She looked around for a map or a 'You are here, killer motherfukin robot controls here'. She looked and went over to a computer Simmons was using, he somehow tripped a security alarm.
"Intruder alert."
"Wait is that you Fliss?" The computer suddenly turned into a friendly shade of blue.
"Dirater is that you."
"These guys really did take everything Freelancer had." Rogers said.
"Fliss I need you to turn off all the mantises."
"That would be a direct validation of Chairman Hargrove orders. I would love to." It was odd but I guess Hargrove is a dick to everyone. "Yep, I dislike him very much. Initat-" Just before she could turn of the mantises Hargrove took over.
"I don't think so."
"Well Chairman Hargrove."
"You've been a thorn in my side a little long and my 'gardeners' are going to cut you down."
"That 'gardener' thing sucks." Vulcan said.
"Ah Emma Vulcan, the daughter of James Vulcan a man who now is the laughing stock of the UNSC." Hargrove said smirking. Anger took over Vulcan, her eyes of Ice turned to fire as she punched the computer screen. She watched as a small group of pirates came around a corner. Doc made short work of him but more would come. She ran down the hall shooting at any pirate that stuck his ugly head out. A door suddenly closed behind them.
"Turn right." Fliss said. Rogers didn't waste anytime, he ran down the hall. Church and Tucker went into the room. Rogers threw a spike a grenade killing a pirate but more and more soldiers came rushing down the hall. Vulcan opened fire but she was soon overwhelmed. The group went inside the room.
"That shit was inten-" Vulcan jumped back once she saw they were cutting their way in.
"Well guys, you know what they say. Today is a good day to die." Sarge said switching to his favorite shotgun.
"Permission to speak freely sure? Fuck that." Grif said taking the Grifshot. Vulcan ripped a flamethrower which was mounted off. She revved it up as flames shot a good dozen feet. Rogers took a mini gun which had a smily face paint on.
"Fliss the suit." Church said. A hidden door opened and the Meta's suit popped up. "Tucker take off your helmet." Rogers watched as a Tucker took off his suit. He had dark hair and skin, a scar on his gut and in his side, even a tattoo which spelled out 'I get a lot of vitamin V' Rogers rolled his eyes. Not wasting anytime Tucker put on the Meta's suit. It turned from a white to a aqua blue. As they got into position the group were saying good byes.
"It's been an honor serving with all of yeah." Vulcan said.
"V, when we get out of this I saw we all go to Vegas."
"I'll take you up on that offer." Grif. "Make sure we go to one with a huge buffet."
"Hey guys I just want you to know that out of everyone I hated you guys the least." Vulcan knew what he meant, she was ready for the big for the big fight.